N.W.A’s controversial manager Jerry Heller died on Friday, at age 75. Here’s my obituary for Billboard. He was hated and loved in equal measure, and many N.W.A fans believe he cheated the group members financially, based on the allegations of Ice Cube and Dr. Dre.

Thanks for reading! My book Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap comes out Tuesday, and you can pre-order it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local seller.

My new book “Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap” comes out Sept. 13, and it’s getting some great reviews, including a starred review from Kirkus. S. Leigh Savidge, the Oscar-nominated co-writer of the film Straight Outta Compton, says: “Scrupulously researched with many incisive revelations, this may be the best book ever written about the hip hop world.”

Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap comes out September 13, 2016 but you can pre-order it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local bookseller. I’d love it if you bought it now, as strong pre-sale orders help the publishing companies decide which books they’re going to devote marketing dollars to.

My new book Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap has received a starred review from Kirkus, which means they thought it was super dope, or, in their words: “An elaborately detailed, darkly surprising, definitive history of the LA gangsta rap era.”

It’s my first ever starred review. I’m pumped.

The book comes out September 13, but you can pre-order it now, which I’d appreciate, as strong pre-sale orders help the publishing companies decide which books they’re going to push. To read short excerpts, follow Original Gangstas‘ Facebook page, which also has some great original photos, and also check out an excerpt I did for Tidal, about the brilliance and controversy of Ice Cube’s Death Certificate.

Check out my new book Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap on Instagram. Every day I’m posting rare and never-seen photos there, including Ruthless Records and Death Row Records artists both obscure and well known, including J.J. Fad, above. (Thanks to Juana Sperling for the photo.) You’ll see everything from Eazy-E’s mansion to the bus Snoop Dogg uses to drive around his pee-wee football players, to Tupac’s driver’s license.

A reminder that the book comes out September 13, 2016 and is available for pre-order on Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

My new book Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap is now available for pre-order on Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Release date is September 13, 2016. It features over 100 original interviews with the biggest and most important players from the era, including Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, D.O.C., Michel’le, Warren G, Mopreme Shakur, Cold 187um, Greg Mack, Alonzo Williams, Sir Jinx, and many others. There are never-reported revelations about everything from Eazy-E’s death from AIDS and Tupac’s role in launching the East Coast/West Coast wars to Dr. Dre and Ice Cube’s first groups.

My book has a title: Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur and the Birth of West Coast Rap.

It also has a release date: September 13, 2016, the twentieth anniversary of Tupac’s death.

It focuses on the heyday of Ruthless Records and Death Row Records, and tells the full story depicted in the Straight Outta Compton biopic. It kicks off with Eazy-E’s days as a drug dealer and Dr. Dre’s time with World Class Wreckin’ Cru, and then the formation of N.W.A. The narrative continues with Ice Cube leaving the group, forming Da Lench Mob, and releasing his classic solo albums. Meanwhile, Suge pries Dre away from N.W.A, Snoop joins the fold, and Death Row battles Ruthless and Bad Boy. The book concludes with the deaths of Tupac and Biggie. It features extensive investigative reporting, interviews with the principal players, and dozens of never-heard stories. I hope you will enjoy it! (Photo courtesy of J-Dee from Da Lench Mob)

…a long time from now. I have signed on with Hachette Book Group USA for a tome about the classic L.A. gangsta rap era, from World Class Wreckin’ Cru through the murder of Biggie, with a focus on N.W.A., Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Big Hutch from Above the Law (above), Snoop Dogg, Tupac, and others. Should be a great project. You can look for it in late 2016 or early 2017.